Page 38 of The Island of Hopes and Dreams

‘That Mirabel is British, not Italian.’

‘Ah,’ Rhys said.

‘Of course she won them over, but even though I knew she was the one, I put off proposing. I didn’t want my family weighing in, thinking my decision was wrong.’ He gestured inland. ‘And now everything is blowing up. Everyone has an opinion of what we should have done, what we should or shouldn’t be doing, no one happy or satisfied with anything.’

‘But not because anyone thinks you and Mirabel shouldn’t be getting married. Their interfering is because they all love you so much.’

Fabs snorted. ‘It doesn’t feel much like love with our parents at each other’s throats. Mirabel’s been in tears and I’ve struggled to defuse the situation and no one –no one – seems to be listening.’

It was uncharted territory for Fabs to be so troubled. Out of all of Rhys’s friends – with the exception of Barnaby – he always seemed to be in total control, confident in his looks, beliefs, ideals and his place in the world. Tension between his family and Mirabel’s might have seemed like nothing to other people, but Rhys knew how much the feeling of helplessness would affect Fabs.

Rhys allowed Fabs to set the pace, striding along the quiet, narrow road which was peppered with bushes and lined with single-storey stone houses. His need to walk off his anger and frustration was unsurprising after being the one to hold everything together while attempting to calm the situation.

‘I remember my mamma andnonnaarguing over how to make yogurt cake when I was about ten and thinking how formidable they were, and that I didn’t want to get in the middle of them.No onewanted to get involved. No one was stupid enough to.’ He glanced at Rhys, his cheeks and lips clenched so tight they’d turned white. ‘But my mamma and Mirabel’s’ – he shook his head – ‘they could burn a hole in hell with the fire raging between them. Nonna staying has made things worse. This should be a happy time, one of the happiest of my and Mirabel’s lives.’

There was nothing Rhys could say. The truth was, Fabs had struggled to defuse the situation that Mirabel had run from, and now he’d scarpered too. Not that Rhys blamed him; he couldn’t think of anything worse than being trapped in the middle of that kind of family tension. Perhaps that was why he was content to stay on the periphery of his own family; not only was it a way of avoiding conflict, it was also easier than getting too involved, which would only highlight how alone he was and how far away from having a relationship as loving as his brothers had found.

The pizzeria was tucked away down a lane, housed in a simple cream building with a terracotta-tiled terrace and a handful of wooden tables, a few already occupied.

‘So how did you leave things back at the house?’ Rhys asked after they’d been shown to a table with a view to the soothing blue sea dancing in the light of the retreating sun.

Fabs finished messaging Mirabel with their location and looked up. ‘I told both my mamma and Mirabel’s to get their shit together.’ He leaned his elbows on the table and clasped his hands together. ‘Well, not in so many words, because Mamma wouldn’t have tolerated that. But I said what I said because I needed to come to Mirabel. They’re grown-ups; we’re all soon to be one family. They need to sort things out among themselves. My concern right now is Mirabel,’ he growled.

That was the end of that conversation; Rhys knew not to push it any further. So they ordered wine and shared a Neapolitan pizza while they waited for Lola and Mirabel. They chatted like they used to when it was just the two of them putting the world to rights over a beer in their student flat in Bristol. Alone with Fabs, it was easy for Rhys to slip back into an older version of himself, someone who was more open, more upbeat, more willing to try things and say yes – before life had worn him down. Perhaps the change in him had less to do with his best friend and more to do with the woman he’d been spending most of his time with on Sardinia.

Caught up in reminiscing about the past, Rhys lost track of time and it was only when Lola and Mirabel strolled towards them that they cut their conversation short. The evening sun cast a golden light over the women. Fabs’s focus was on Mirabel, but Rhys’s eyes were drawn to Lola, who was glowing with happiness. At least that was the impression she gave, walking down that sun-kissed path looking radiant and carefree.

Fabs got to his feet and Mirabel left Lola’s side to fold herself into his embrace.

Rhys stood too when Lola reached him, both of them standing awkwardly while averting their attention from their friends’ passionate kiss.

‘Is everything okay?’ Rhys gestured towards Mirabel as Lola sat in the chair next to his.

‘Better than it was.’ She nodded. ‘A long talk and time away from parents was sorely needed. Oh, and seeing Fabs of course.’ Lola placed her hand on Rhys’s knee. He stilled, his breath hitching as he zoned in on the warmth of her through his jeans. ‘But let’s steer the conversation away from anything to do with the wedding. That and parents are out of bounds. At least till we get back.’

Rhys didn’t allow himself to think ahead to the headache that Fabs and Mirabel would return to. He took Lola’s lead in helping to make them forget their worries and why they were in a rustic but cheerful restaurant miles away from family and friends.

They ordered another three pizzas, bottles of Coke and a second bottle of wine and continued a conversation that reminded Rhys of a time that he’d thought he’d lost. He revelled in Lola and Mirabel’s close, easy-going friendship that matched his own with Fabs as they talked about their work, their hopes and dreams and everything in between.

Once the pizza had been demolished, plenty of wine had been drunk and the sun was low on the horizon, Fabs and Mirabel started talking quietly between themselves. Rhys turned his attention to Lola, who was sipping her wine and watching her friend, her blue eyes dark in the golden light.

Mirabel being happy and relaxed had rubbed off on Lola, who was relieved her friend was okay. With a glimpse of the sea from their table, the setting was perfect, and the place was unpretentious with surprisingly good food. And as for the company…

He suddenly realised they were on a double date. That was something he and Fabs hadn’t done since their uni days and it had only happened once because it had been painfully obvious that both girls had been into Fabs while he was the runner-up prize. Part of him believed he should have a similar feeling of worthlessness that he’d experienced at the age of eighteen; he and Lola were anything but madly in love, and yet… Lola looked at him in a way that made his heart swell. Once they got over their awkwardness and realised Fabs and Mirabel only had eyes for each other, their conversation meandered from topic to topic as they slowly managed to find the easy way they’d had from the start. It felt as if they’d known each other for years and their worries and inhibitions faded away as the sun melted into the horizon in a line of honey-gold.

23

‘Let’s not go back!’ Mirabel announced loudly an hour later with a drunken smile plastered across her face.

Darkness had descended, the bill had been paid and they were about to leave the restaurant.

Rhys held his hands up. ‘Might be a wise idea not to cos I’ve drunk too much to drive.’

He hadn’t meant to get drunk, but he’d become so swept up in the energy and exuberance of the evening that he’d forgotten he’d driven there.

‘I’ve only had one glass,’ Fabs said. ‘I can drive.’

Mirabel stuck her tongue out at him. ‘Spoilsport.’ She placed her hands on his chest and leaned so close her lips brushed his. ‘Ireallydon’t want to go back tonight and face our parents.’ She lowered her voice so it was sultry and suggestive. ‘Amore mio, one night away from everyone, just the two of us.’

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